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Papua New Guinea Parliament Re-elects Prime Minister

August 02, 2017 11:07 AM

VOA News

Incumbent Peter O'Neill has been re-elected as prime minister of Papua New Guinea, following the weeks-long election process because of poor organization and accusations by opposition candidates of vote rigging.

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Papua New Guinea Parliament Re-elects Prime Minister

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Incumbent Peter O'Neill has been re-elected as prime minister of Papua New Guinea, following a chaotic, violence-plagued campaign marred by allegations of voting irregularities.

O'Neill was sworn in Wednesday to a second five-year term to lead the South Pacific island nation after his People's National Congress formed a coalition government with other minor parties, giving O'Neill 60 votes with 46 votes against him.

The weeks-long election process struggled because of poor organization and accusations by opposition candidates of vote rigging.

Papua New Guinea has been plagued for decades by corruption, which has stifled the island's economic growth despite a liquefied natural gas project operated by ExxonMobile. O'Neill himself was charged with corruption by an anti-graft task force over allegations he make illegal payments to a law firm with government money. O'Neill ignored the warrant and disbanded the task force.